Machine for feeding and assembling signatures.



D. G. SMYTH. MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING SIGNATURES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

909,701 Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

- THE NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHm roN, D. c.

D. G. SMYTH. MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING SIGNATURES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, n. a

D. G. SMYTH. MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND A'SSEMBLING SIGNATURES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1907.

909,701 Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I THE NnRRls Ps'rma; 5a., WASNINGTGN, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID G. SMYTH, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND ASSEMBLING SIGNATURES.

Application filed September 12, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID Gr. SMYTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Feeding and Assembling Signatures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for gathering signatures and presenting the same in successive order to be placed upon the sheet holding bar of machines for sewing the same into book form, the art of which machines is exemplified in the U. S. patents granted to David McConnell Smyth, No. 220,312, October 7th, 1879; No. 250,937 and No. 250,991, granted December 13th, 1881, and also Letters Patent of the United States granted to Reynolds and Jacobs, No. 135,613, September 2d, 1890.

Heretofore it has been usual to gather or assemble the signatures in successive order for each book, either by a suitable machine or by hand, and to place the piles of signatures thus gathered on a suitable table, from which the signatures are taken one at a time by hand and placed upon the sheet holding bar which moves them up to the sewing mechanism and in connection with this p 0 eration it is usual to examine and count the signatures so as to prove them up before the sewing is performed, so as to reduce to a minimum the liability of any error.

In the device of my improvement, the signatures are assembled one at a time as the sewing is carried on, the signatures appearing in gathered form only after they have been delivered by the sheet holding bar and sewed together. The signatures composing each book are separated one at a time and in consecutive order from the various piles in which they are placed after printing.

In carrying out my invention, I employ parallel pairs of endless bands mounted upon suitable pulleys and supported by suitable shafts in bearings upon a bed plate; one band of each pair is wider than the other and each band is provided with series of pins in pairs and the bands of the pairs sustain adjustable relation to one another, to provide for the size of the signatures or sheets to be sewed together to form a book. The bands are associated with support plates in pairs, the same holding up the superimposed signatures between the pins where they pass around at the underside of the endless Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

Serial No. 392,457.

bands. The spaces between adjacent series of pins form receptacles to receive the piles of superimposed sheets or signatures as they are laid thereon according to their successive numbers. Each of the pairs of bands provides for a predetermined number of signatures and the one pair of bands may bear a predetermined relation to the other pair of bands in the number of signatures so as to fill up the full quota of signatures for a book in which the signatures are less than the combined capacity of the two pairs of bands.

I providea suction separator and a gripper device for each pair of bands, a suitable camactuated device for raising and lowering the suction separator and other cam-actuated de-- vices for causing the gripper devices to be operated. I also provide swinging arms car rying on their free ends, said gripper devices and means for actuating the same so that each signature lifted from the bands is at once taken by the gripper device and moved forward so as to cause the same to overhang an inclined table onto which the signatures are dropped successively. The gripper de vice is preferably actuated electrically.

I provide means for successively feeding along the signatures as they are delivered onto the inclined table. I provide means suitably actuated for turning the pairs of bands separately or together, which means are adapted for actuation at any point desired. I also provide means for electrically actuating the aforesaid devices and controlling the same, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure l is a general plan view representing the device of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, some details being omitted which would tend to confuse this figure. Fig. 3 is a side elevation and partial longitudinal section showing the first pair of endless bands, and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the second pair of endless bands, both figures being on a smaller scale. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan, showing the devices for sep arately and independently and yet simultaneously actuating the pairs of endless bands with the oscillating parts at the opposite ends of their stroke from that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an elevation and diagrammatical view representing the devices for the electric control and operation of the principal devices of my improvement. Fig. 7 is a sectional plan through the shaft line of the devices shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross section and elevation on the dotted line a", an, of Fig. 5, and Fig. 9 is a cross section on the dotted line y, 'y, of Fig. 3.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, a represents the bed plate of the machine and the Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I provide upon the shaft Z) the pulleys b, 5 and upon the shaft 0 the pulleys c, 0 These shafts are parallel and these pulleys are so placed that the pulleys b, 0' are in line and the pulleys b 0 are in line. Surrounding these pulleys b, c, are the endless bands 6, f. Theband e is appreciably wider than the band are the endless bands 6 f, the band e being appreciably wider than the band f. These bands are provided with pins 2 3 in pairs near the opposite edges of the bands and the bands 6 e are at least as much wider than the bands f f as the diameter of the bases of the pins. The fact that these bands f f are superimposed upon and around the bands 6 e insures a frictional grip between the same sufficient to cause the same to travel together. Theone however can be shifted with relation tothe other; this act being performed in any desired manner so as to change the relation of the pair of pins of the respective bands in relation to one another, because as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, a folded signature comes between the pair of pins 2 of theband f and a pair of pins 3 of the band 6. The signatures may be as wide as the distance between the pairs of pins 2 of the bands f f in which case the pins 3 of the bands 6 6 will aline with the pins 2. To adapt the bands to receive smaller sheets they are adjusted by shifting the bands of each pair so as to bring a pair of pins 2 and a distant pair of pins 3 closer together; the piles of superimposed signatures as they are laid above the bands 6 f or e f are longer from the top to the bottom edge of the sheet than the width of the wider bands 6 e, consequently the ends project and provision must be made for supporting these signatures below the respective pairs of pulleys. I provide support plates 9 h in pairs, the main portions of which as will be seen particularly with reference to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, extend below the planes of the lower parts of the bands beyond or outside the line of the pairs of pins 3 and around at the ends of the bands,

Surrounding the pulleys b 0 V vices.

with each other but parallel with said bands, their respective ends being semi-circular and their free ends bent outwards, Figs. 3 and t, at their lower portionsshowing the superimposed signatures as resting upon these support plates g it. These support plates form ways along and over which the superimposed piles of signatures are carried.

Near the outer end of the power shaft (Z and adjacent to the actuating pulley cl thereof, is a cam wheel 2', the same having the cam groove 2" in its inner surface. I provide arms at the opposite sides of the machine connected by pivot pins 4 to the upper ends of the pillars a a and the free ends of these are connected by a cross-rod 70.

I provide a roller 2' secured to one of the arms is movable over the surface of the cam wheel 2' and thus raising and lowering the arms is and the cross-rod 70. To this crossrod is and at predetermined points which come centrally over the centers of the pairs of endless bands, I provide sucker devices Z Z; these may be of any desired description adapted for the lifting, one at a time, of the signatures from the respective piles upon the endless bands. As illustrated, each of the sucker devices is composed of a casing from which extends a pipe, a contacting surface and a spring arm for holding down the signatures of the piles while the sucker is raising the upper signature at its folded back edge, but I do not limit myself in any respect to the construction of these sucker de- The position of the roller 2' on one of the arms is and the shape of the cam wheel d on the power shaft are so arranged and proportioned as to cause the sucker devices to descend accurately upon each succeeding pile of signatures upon the endless bands as they are presented. I provide an arm we connected by a pivot pin 5 to one of the bearing pillars a and to the free end of which arm a link m is pivotally connected. This link In at its upper end, is connected to a crank m mounted upon the shaft m in bearings at the upper ends of the pillars a a This arm m is actuated by the cam groove '2" of the cam i acting upon a roller m on said arm m. This shaft m has connected to it arms m in the same vertical planes as the sucker devices and the centers of the pairs of endless bands, and these arms m have an oscillating movement and are provided at their free ends with gripper devices; as shown, each gripper device consists of an electro-magnet 6, gripper fingers 7 and a spring 8. The outer member of the gripper fingers is fixed to the outer end of the arm m and the inner member of the fingers ispivoted near the end of the arm m and it is sprnig-returned. The "opposite end of this pivoted finger device carries an armature and said plates are placed not only parallel l to be attracted by the electro-magnet 6 and tile movements of these gripper fingers are so timed in relation to the sucker devices that when each successive signature is raised by the sucker devices, these gripper devices are on hand and in position to engage the folded back portion of the signature so as to remove the same from the sucker devices and carry the signatures forward slightly further than the full line position, F 2, in which the free end of the signature passes over the upper end of the inclined table n and when the electric circuit is open and the magnet demagnetized, the gripper fingers open and drop the sheet, the same being caught by the shelf portion of the inclined table and supported thereby.

in connection, with the inclined table I pr vide a pin 9 secured to an endless strap 10 which passes around pulleys 11 and 12 mounted upon the lower portion and at the back of the inclined table. The pin 9 passes through a slot made longitudinally of the table, and a backward and forward or reciprocating motion is imparted 'to this pin by the end ess strap 10 and by means of the band wheel a which is connected to but loosely mounted upon the free end of the shaft 0, and an endless belt 16 passing around the band wheel 12- and around the pulleys 1 and 1st, and also around a pulley 15 which is concentric with the pulley 12 and on the same arbor. The manner of actuating the band wheel a will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I have fingers 17 connected to the pillar a and with their free ends resting upon a makeand-break wheel 18 mounted upon the power shaft (Z and adjacent to the cam i, there being by preference, electrical connections from and through said contact fingers to the electro magnet 6 and a battery, which are not shown as connected to the gripper de vices upon the free ends of the arms m I have not shown these electrical connections and I do not lay any claim to their arrange ment or to the electrically operated gripper fingers ac uated th reby.

Eeferring particularly to Figs. 1 and 5, I provide a sleeve loose on one end of the shaft (r. This sleeve passes through the hub of pulley c which is secured to it; there ese parts are free from the rotation shown contact fore tn of the shaft 0. This sleeve 0 stops at a predetermined. point and loose on the shaft 0 beyond the outer end of the sleeve I provide a str cture preferably integral, which comprises the crank. 0 with the crank T head 0. Alongside the crank 0 a ratchet r is secured upon and adjacent to the free end of the sun ft 0 and the ratchet r is secured upon the end of the sleeve see also Figs. 1, 2 and 5. These ratchets r 1" have teeth pointing in the same direction for like rotation and it will be apparent that a movement of the ratchet 7 will turn the shaft 0 and the pulley 0 secured thereto and with the said pulley will move the endless bands 6 f with their pins; also that a rotation of the ratchet 1" will move the sleeve 0 the pulley c and turn the bands 6 f which surround the same and the pulley b and that these movements may be independent of one another or simultaneous. On the power shaft (Z I provide a short crank [Z and a connecting rod 23 is at one end mounted upon this crank and at the other end is connected to the longer crank 0 and by these devices the crank 0 and its T head 0 are given a swinging or oscillatory movement, the crank (Z performing complete revolutions. On this T head 0 are mounted electro-magnets s s in pairs and pins 19 and 20 pass through the T head between the electro magnets of the pairs, the inner ends of said pins being adapted to come in contact with the surfaces or peripheries of the ratchets r r and having pins through them on the inner side of the T head to limit their outward movement. These pins are provided with armatures 21 22 adapted to be attracted by the poles of the electro-magnets; the pins between the head 0 and the armatures are provided with helical springs which tend to push the armatures away from the cores of the electro-magnets, the attraction of the electro-magnets when the circuit is closed being to draw down the armatures to the poles of the magnets as against the resiliency of the springs surrounding said pins; consequently in one position, (see Fig. the pin 20 is drawn down into the path of and against the surface of the ratchet 1* whereas the pin 19 is forced away by the spring so that it is out of contact with the surface of the ratchet r. A pin 11 connects the crank T head 0 at one end with the band wheel a so that this band wheel moves with the movement of the T head and not otherwise and as the T head isswung or oscillated by the action of the cranks 0, (Z and connectin rod 23, this T head is moved back and Iorth through a quarter of a revolution, moving with it the band wheel a, and belt 16 and turning the pulleys 11 and 12, their endless strap 10 reciprocating its pin 9, so that as the signatures are delivered by the gripper devices at the ends of the arms m* on to the inclined table a, they are moved by this pin 9 from their position of delivery forward and along the inclined. table to a position convenient for the operator of the book sewing machine to take the said signatures and opening the same, place them upon the sheet holding bar.

Referring particularly to Figs. 6 a d 7, and to the upper portion of Fig. 1, showing the parts in plan,2-l is a standard to which a stud 25 is secured. 26 is a base carrying this standard and also carrying posts 27 and 28. The power shaft d is provided with a cam 03 the surface of which acts upon the roller 29- of a pawl arm 25, which is pivotally mounted upon the stud 25 and which carries a pawl t spring actuated. I provide a stop pin t secured to a suitable fixed point and adapted for lifting the pawl from the teeth of the ratchet 'v and a spring 29 whichextends from the posts 28 to the pawl arm t, the function of which is to hold the roller t of this pawl arm against the periphery or surface of the camv d Vith the ratchet 11 preferably in an integral structure, is formed a cam wheel 1; and there is a recess between this ratchet and cam wheel receiving the cord53 of a weight 52, the function of the cord and weight being to cause the rotation of this ratchet and cam wheel in a direction opposite to the direction imparted to it by the pawl t and pawl arm 23. I provide a pin 30 on the ratchet v and a pin 31 on the cam wheel 1; in the positions shown in Fig. 6, and o is a removable cam wheel mounted on the stud 25 but particularly on a sleeve of the ratchet and cam structure 4) a, as will appear from the section Fig.7. This cam wheel o is smaller than the cam wheel a) and is interchangeable with other cam wheels of different diameters and character of peripheries. The cam wheel 11 bears an operative relation to the series of signature holders of the endless bands 6 f, while the removable cam wheel 12 bears an operative relation to the signature holdersof the endless bands 6 f, as will be hereinafter more particularly described. 32 represents a pawl and 33 a catch arm preferably formed integral or upon the same shaft and pivotally mounted in a post 34, the pawl 32 engaging the teeth of the ratchet 'v and being provided with an armature to be attracted by the electro magnet 35, which is mounted upon the post 28, there being a spring from the arm 33 to the base of the post 28, the function of which is to hold downthe arm 33 and to throw the pawl 32 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet o. I provide a bell crank arm 36 mounted in a post upon the base 26, in which base is a pin shown in Fig. 6 to prevent the upper movement of the bell crank arm by a spring shown under the same, ard at 37 I have shown an insulated contact on the forward end of the lower member of this bell crank arm 36. 38 is an insulated contact finger secured to the base 26. 39 and 40 are pivoted gravity bars with curved or hook-ended free ends. These arms are pivotally mounted in the post 27 and they are each provided with insulated contacts adapted to make and break the electric circuit with the insulated bracket arms 41 42 which are mounted uponthe post 27. From Fig. 6 it will be noticed that the circuit is broken between the bar 39 and the bracket arm 41, while the circuit is made between the bar 40 and the bracket arm 42, and this is because the free end of the bar 39 rests upon the surface of the cam wheel 0' of shortest radius while the free end of the bar 40 rests upon the surface of the cam wheel a of greatest radius. 43 is a battery, see Fig. 6. 4.4 is a wire which extends from the fin er 38 to the electro magnet 35; 45 a wire w 1lCl1 extends from the electro magnet 35 to the electro-magnet s; 46 a wire which extends from the gravity bar 40 to the electro-magnet s. 47 is a wire that extends from the bracket arm 42 to the battery 43 and a short wire connects the other pole of the battery 43 with the wire 48. This wire 48 extends from the wire 45 to the electromagnet s. 49 is a wire which extends from the other side of the electro-magnet s to the gravity bar 39. 50 is a wire which extends from the bracket arm 41 to connection with the wire 47 and electrically to the bracket arm 42. 51 is a wire which extends from the insulated contact 37 on the bell crank arm 36 to connection with the wire 47;

In the operation of the devices hereinbefore described, the power shaft d is rotated by a pulley d. The cam wheel 2' through the roller 2' raises and lowers the arms k and the sucker devices which lift a signature at a time from between the pins on the endless bands 6 f, e f. The rotation of this cam wheel 2' and its groove 71 through the roller m therein on the arm m actuates the link 'm, the crank m and the shaft m and the gripper devices in time with the sucker devices to remove the signatures from the sucker devices and carry the same over the upper end of the inclined table n and drop them thereon when the electrically" actuatecl gripper fingers will open as hereinbefore described. The rotation ofthis power shaft (Z actuates the crank d and cam d and with the crank cl", the crank rod 23, the crank 0 and its T-head 0 and the devices mounted upon this T-head. The teeth of the ratchet v are numbered from one consecutively to the end in the direction of rotation; there are as many teeth as there are signature receptacles on the two pairs of endless bands and the parts are so arranged and timed that the signatures are taken progress'ively from their receptacles as the pawl arm 23 andits pawl 25 by the action of the cam 05 moves the ratchet o a tooth at a time; the cam d rotates with the power shaft 03 in unison with the cam i and once foreach operation of the sucker and gripper devices consequently the pawl arm t is moved back 7 by the spring 29 sufiiciently for the stop pin t to throw up the point of the pawl out of the path of the teeth of the ratchet Q), and as the pawl arm is each time moved by the cam (Z the pawl t engages another tooth of the ratchet o, turnin 'the same to that extent.

It is to be un erstood that thelength of the conveyer e f and then the conveyer e f is stopped while the conveyer e f moves the six other step-by-step'movements required to bring its number 10 receptacle into place where the signature is removed therefrom. The conveyer e f is stopped for this period because the gravity bar 40 with the rotation of the ratchet and cam-wheels moves off the portion of the periphery of the cam-wheel o of greatest radius onto the part of lesser radius.

It will be further noticed from Fig. 6, that when the gravity bar 40 moves up onto the part of the wheel 12 of greatest radius completing the circuit the bar 39 simultaneously moves off the part of the wheel o of greatest radius, breaking the other circuit. Simultaneously the conveyers e f are arrested and the conveyers e f moved so that the signatures, numbers 11 to 16 may be taken therefrom. The completion of this movement brings the parts to the position where the pin 31 strikes the bell crank lever 36 to effect the return movement of the parts to an initial position as hereinbefore described.

I have not herein shown nor described any. devices adapted for the operation of the suckers. It is of course essential that suitable mechanism for this purpose be provided; the same however, forms no part of my present invention. This mechanism may be any well-known valve mechanism, pump, etc., adapted for actuating these sucker devices at any time and in any order. These devices will of course be arranged for the operation of the sucker devices as and when required, so as to remove the signatures pro gressively as desired, or permit the sucker devices to inactively contact therewith and not remove the same when necessary. It will therefore be noted that while'signatures are being removed from the compartments 11 to 16 of the conveyer e f, such mechanism is inactive with regard to the sucker device employed in connection with the conveyer e f and while the sucker device is active in removing the signatures from the conveyer e f the other sucker device employed in connection with the conveyer e f is inactive.

In like manner as hereinbefore described, the operations are repeated.

While I have described my invention with special reference to the feeding and assembling of signatures, it is obvious that the devices shown and described are adapted for use equally well for feeding and assembling such equivalents as single sheets, cards, covers. etc. or single sheets alternated with signatures without in any manner departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for feeding signatures, the combination with a signature-conveyer adapted to receive piles of superimposed signatures and means for maintaining said piles separate, of devices for successively taking a signature at'a time from each of said piles, a gripper for taking the signature from said devices and a receptacle upon which the signatures are delivered.

2. In a machine for feeding signatures, the combination with a conveyer adapted to receive piles of superimposed signatures and means for maintaining said piles separate, of a sucker device for successively taking a signature at a time from said piles, a gripper device for taking the signatures from time, and pusher mechanism for moving the signatures one at a time along upon the latter receptacle.

4. Ina machine for feeding signatures, the combination with a signature conveyer adapted to receive piles of signatures and means for maintaining said piles separate, of devices for successively taking a signature at a time from said piles, means for taking the signatures one at a time from said devices and a receiving device upon which the signatures are delivered one at a time.

5. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, separate signature conveyers, means for imparting to said con veyers step by step movements in a predetermined order, means for maintaining the piles of signatures on the conveyers separate from one another, devices for successively taking a signature at a time fromsaid piles, means for taking the signatures from said devices and a suitable receptacle upon which the signatures are delivered.

6. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, separate signature conveyers, means for imparting to said conveyers step by step movements in a predetermined order, means associated with said signature conveyers for maintaining the piles of superimposed signatures separate from one another, sucker devices for successively taking a signature at a time from the piles of signatures on the actuated conveyer, means for taking the signatures from the sucker devices and a suitable receptacle upon which the signatures are delivered.

7. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, separate signature conveyers, means for imparting to said signasaid signature conveyers for maintaining ture conveyers step by step movements in a predetermined order, means associated with the piles of superimposed signatures separate from one another, sucker devices for successively taking a signature at a time from the piles of signatures on the actuated conveyer, means for taking the signatures as delivered from the sucker devices, an inclined table receiving the signatures one at a time from the latter mechanism and pusher mechanism for moving the signatures along over the face of the inclined table.

8. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, two parallel conveyers adapted to receive piles of superimposed signatures and means for maintaining said piles separate, means for actuating the conveyers, a power shaft, a wheel on said power shaft having a cam surface and cam groove, sucker devices adapted for successively taking a signature at a time from the piles upon the conveyers and means for actuating the sucker devices from the cam surface of said wheel, gripper devices for receiving the signatures one at a time from the sucker devices and means for actuating the same by means of the cam groove and a table for receiving the signatures in an inclined position.

9. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, sucker and gripper devices and actuating means therefor parallel and independent conveyers, a shaft therefor, a concentric sleeve upon one end of the conveyer shaft, a ratchet on the shaft and another ratchet on the sleeve, said ratchets being spaced apart from one another, a crank and crank T head mounted on the shaft between the ratchets, a power shaft and crank thereon and a crank rod connecting the two cranks for imparting motion to the crank T head from the power shaft, devices connected to the T head and means for actuating the same whereby either or both of said ratchets are engaged to operate either or both of the conveyers.

10. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, sucker and gripper devices and actuating means therefor parallel and independent conveyers and a shaft there tor, a concentric sleeve upon the conveyer shaft, a ratchet on the shaft, and another ratchet on the sleeve, said ratchets being spaced apart from one another, a crank and crank T head mounted on the shaft between the ratchets, a power shaft and crank there on and a crank rod between the two cranks for imparting motion to the crank T head from the power shaft, spring actuated pins passing through the T head, the points of which as pawls are adapted to engage the ratchet, armatures mounted on the ends of said pins, electro-magnets mounted on the T head and adapted for the actuation of the said pins and means for making and breaking electrical circuits through said magnets so as to control the movements of said pins.

.11. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination sucker and gripper devices and actuating means therefor parallel and independent conveyers and a shaft therefor, a concentric sleeve upon which the pul leys at the other ends of the conveyers are secured, a ratchet on the shaft and another ratchet on the sleeve, said ratchets being spaced apart from one another, a crank and crank T head mounted on the shaft between the ratchets, a power shaft and crank there on and a crank rod between the two cranks for imparting motion to the crank T head from the power shaft, spring actuated pins vpassing through the T head, the points of which as pawls are adapted to engage the ratchet, armatures mounted on the ends of said pins, electro-magnets mounted on the T head and adapted for the actuation of the said pins, a cam wheel on the power shaft, a pawl arm spring controlled actuated thereby, a ratchet wheel having teeth which agree in number with the spaces of the endless conveyers receiving piles of superimposed signatures, and which ratchet wheel is actuated by the pawl of said pawl arm, cam wheels adjacent to the said latter ratchet and electrical devices actuated thereby for making and breaking electric circuits through the armatures of said T head for controlling the movements of the ratchet wheels operating the endless band conveyers.

12. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination sucker and gripper devices and actuating means therefor parallel and independent conveyers and a shaft therefor, a concentric sleeve upon which the pulleys at the other ends of the conveyers are secured, a ratchet on the shaft and another ratchet on the sleeve, said ratchets being spaced apart from one another, a crank and crank T head mounted on the shaft between the ratchets, a power shaft and crank thereon and a crank rod between the two cranks for imparting motion to the crank T head from the power shaft, devices connected to the T head, means for actuating the same whereby either or both of said ratchets are engaged to operate either or both of the conveyers, a cam on the power shaft adjacent to the crank thereon, a spring actuated pawl and pawl arm and stud upon which the same are mounted actuated by said cam, a ratchet on said stud, the teeth of which agree in number with'the piles of superimposed signatures which the endless conveyers are adapted to carry, pins on said ratchet limiting the movements thereof in opposite directions, cam wheels on said stud and electric devices and connections therefrom adapted to control the extent of movement of the respective endless conveyers, a

pawl and actuating device for holding the latter ratchet in position, an electro-magnet for turning the same away and releasing the ratchet, electrical devices through which the circuit is established by one of said pins for demagnetizing said electro-magnet and releasing said pawl, and' means engaged by the other of said pins for restoring said pawl to engagement with the ratchet and mechanical devices actuated in the interim for turning back the said ratchet to its initial position.

13. In a machine for feeding signatures and in combination, signature conveyers, sucker and gripper devices, means for actuating the same, a ratchet o and cam wheel 22 a removable cam wheel 0 and electrical devices c0acting with the ratchet and camwheels for controlling the movements of the signature conveyers.

14. Ina machine for feeding signatures and 'in combination, signature conveyers, sucker and gripper devices, means for actuating the same, mechanical devices to which a step by step movement is imparted, means actuating the conveyers therefrom and in unison therewith, and electrical devices for controlling the mechanical devices, whereby either or both of said conveyors may be progressed to the desired extent.

Signed by me this th day of August DAVID G. SMYTH. Witnesses WILLIAM H. RICE, WOODBURY M. DURGIN. 

